NEW YORK (AP) -With the bases loaded and no outs in the 11th inning, the Minnesota Twins had every reason to believe they would pull off another remarkable win.

Instead, the team that needed an inspired September run to win the AL Central title in a one-game playoff failed to get the big hit - or even a big out.

Three times a Minnesota batter went down against Dave Robertson, who was making his first playoff appearance for the Yankees.

Mark Teixeira led off the bottom of the inning with a homer and the Yankees had a 4-3 victory and a 2-0 lead in the first round of the AL playoffs.

The play that might have cost the Twins most was leadoff batter Joe Mauer's fly down the left-field line that was called foul by umpire Phil Cuzzi.

Television replays showed the ball appeared to hit Melky Cabrera's glove and landed inches inside the line and bounced into the stands. Mauer later singled but he would have been on second with the grounds rule double.

Jason Kubel followed with a single off Damaso Marte and Michael Cuddyer greeted Robertson with a single to center. Uncharacteristically, the next two batters swung at first pitches.

Delmon Young, who batted .370 over the last three weeks of the season, lined out to first baseman Mark Teixeira. Carlos Gomez slapped a grounder to Teixeira, who threw home for the force. Brendan Harris flied to center to end the opportunity.

The Twins had rallied several times to beat the Tigers in 12 innings on Tuesday to secure a spot against the Yankees. They went 17-4 down the stretch to force the playoff.

Not this time. Instead, the Yankees head to Minnesota with the commanding lead in the best-of-five series.

The Twins would not have been in the 11th inning if closer Joe Nathan had not blown his second save of the year against the Yankees. He came on in the ninth with a two-run lead but gave up Teixeira's first hit of the division series and Alex Rodriguez's homer to right-center that made it 3-3.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.